According to Abram Hoffer, M.D, PhD “Niacin elevates good cholesterol and decreases the good / bad cholesterol ratio.” This is also very important because there is a natural link between cholesterol and depression, which you can read about on Psychiatric Times.

But these are not the only ways that niacin helps with depression.

Niacin helps with pellegra in a big way

According to the Mayo Clinic, Niacin is rated grade A for helping to treat pellagra, which is niacin deficiency and which leads to depression.

The Mayo Clinic states:

“Niacin (vitamin B3) and niacinamide are U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of pellagra, or niacin deficiency. Pellagra is a nutritional disease that occurs due to insufficient dietary amounts of vitamin B3 or the chemical it is made from (tryptophan). Symptoms of pellagra include skin disease, diarrhea, dementia, and depression.”

There are lots of other Niacin benefits too

Niacin looks like it’s a big deal.

As a meditation teacher I’m naturally skeptical about things like Niacin supplements.